VisitBritain Sentiment Tracker – mixed results in wave 27

Confidence and overnight trip intent are marginally down, as is the proportion expecting normality to return to their lives by the end of the year (50%). There is a higher proportion of spring trip intenders saying they have already planned and booked their overnight trips, which now stands at 50% and 44% respectively. However, bookings for summer trips remains flat at just 19% – 17% of adults now plan on taking a day trip within the next two weeks, which is significantly up on last wave.

Highlights from wave 27 include:

  • The national mood is up 0.2 points to 6.7/10
  • The same proportion consider the ‘worst is still to come’ compared to wave 26 (17%).
  • The Appetite for Risk score is stable at 2.4/4, with ‘visiting a busy city centre’ having the lowest score among the various activities listed (also stable at 2.0).
  • Almost half of adults anticipate taking more or the same number of overnight domestic trips between now and end of the year compared to normal.  This compares with just over a quarter of adults with similar intent regarding overseas trips.
  • Confidence edges down, with 33% fairly/very confident a trip booked for this June could proceed as planned (down 5 points).
  • 14% anticipate taking an overnight trip this spring (Apr – June) rising to 35% during the summer (July – Sept).  This compares to 16% and 37% respectively last wave.
  • Among those who are intending to take a trip this spring, 50% have reached the planning and 44% the booking stages of their trips, which is up from 43% and 29% respectively last wave.
  • The South West remains the lead destination for spring trips with a commanding 24% share; 12 percentage points ahead of second placed North West.
  • The leading destination type for spring trips is ‘traditional coastal/seaside town’ (32%) narrowly ahead of ‘countryside or village’ (31%).
  • The accommodation types most likely to be used on overnight trips this spring are ‘commercial rentals’ (e.g. holiday cottages) on 39%, ‘camping/caravan’ (37%), ‘Hotel/motel/inn’ (34%) and a ‘private home’ (also 34%).
  • Some 43% of UK adults intend to take a day trip to a ‘traditional coastal/seaside town’ and 42% to a ‘countryside or village’ destination at some stage this spring/summer.  This compares with 23% intending to visit a ‘large city’.

Access all the results here.